CERD UNITED NATIONS International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination Distr. GENERAL CERD/C/LAO/CO/15 18 April 2005 ENGLISH Original: FRENCH COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION Sixty-sixth session 21 February-11 March 2005 CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 9 OF THE CONVENTION Concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC 1. The Committee considered the sixth to fifteenth periodic reports of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, due for submission from 1985 to 2003 and submitted as one document (CERD/C/451/Add.1), at its 1673rd and 1674th meetings (CERD/C/SR.1673 and 1674), held on 21 and 22 February 2005. At its 1696th meeting, held on 9 March 2005, the Committee adopted the following concluding observations. A. Introduction 2. The Committee welcomes the report submitted by the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. It commends the efforts made by the State party to comply with the Committee’s reporting guidelines, while noting that the report does not contain enough information on the practical implementation of the Convention. 3. The Committee welcomes the fact that the State party was represented by a high-ranking delegation and commends the efforts it made to respond to the questions asked. It likewise welcomes the resumption of a constructive dialogue with the State party and the fact that the State party has expressed its desire to pursue a dialogue with the Committee on a regular basis. GE.05-41167 (E) 230505 010605